End-of-life (palliative) care is about comfort, dignity, and ease during a person's final days, weeks, or months. Our caregivers support both the client and their loved ones through the process. In many cases, someone can go through end-of-life in the comfort of their own home and have a 'good' death.
What end-of-life caregiving looks like
Day to day, caregiving covers personal care (mouth care, peri-care, bed bathing), repositioning in bed or in a chair, and mobility, lifts, and transfers as tolerated. Caregivers monitor skin condition, apply lotion or cream, and watch high-risk areas for irritation. They administer medication, including palliative medications given by subcutaneous butterfly port where nursing supervision is in place.
Just as important is the emotional side: reassurance, gentle touch, and simply being present. Caregivers also watch for unexpected changes, pain, or breathlessness, and report quickly for clinical follow-up.
Services evolve quickly
End-of-life needs can shift fast. A client may start with daily hourly visits, move to live-in care, and then to 24-hour care over a short span of time. A good provider will scale up as a routine part of the service they provide.
A second caregiver is sometimes needed for short periods to handle safe turns, lifts, and personal care. This is uncommon, and usually comes down to frailty, obesity, or delicate skin condition.
When home isn't the right setting
Home works for most people, but not all. Hospice or hospital is the better setting when there are serious seizures, rapidly fluctuating medication needs, or breathlessness and agitation that can't be managed with medication. High risk of serious bleeding also falls in this category. It can be managed at home, but it generally isn't recommended and requires advance preparation for a traumatic event.
If you're weighing home care against hospice, give us a call. We'll give you a straight answer about what we can and can't safely support.